Carers
Are you able to recognise a carer?
Are you a carer yourself?
Many people do not identify that they are a carer.
Do you look after someone?
A carer looks after a family member, friend, partner or neighbour who needs support due to illness, disability or old age. The help carers give is unpaid, though you may still receive Carer’s Allowance or other benefits. You do not have to care full time, receive Carer’s Allowance or live with the person you care for to be a carer.
If you fit the above criteria, you are a Carer.
Free parking for carers at North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple Health Centre and Bideford Community Hospital
We provide free parking for carers who are on the Devon Carers register when the person they care for is staying in/visiting North Devon District Hospital, or when they are visiting Barnstaple Health Centre or Bideford Community Hospital.
North Devon District Hospital
To obtain a ticket to exit the car park free of charge:
- during working hours i.e. 8.30am – 4.30pm (Monday to Friday), please take your Devon Carers Alert Card to the information desk in the main entrance on Level 2
- outside working hours, please take your Devon Carers Alert Card to the porters’ lodge inside the main entrance on Level 2
As well as showing your Devon Carers Alert Card, you will be asked to provide:
- your vehicle registration details
- the name of the person you care for
- the name of the ward the person you care for is on or the clinic/department they are attending
Barnstaple Health Centre
Please display your Devon Carers Alert Card face up on your dashboard so it is visible for the parking attendant to see.
Bideford Community Hospital
Please display your Devon Carers Alert Card face up on your dashboard so it is visible for the parking attendant to see.
Free meal vouchers for carers at North Devon District Hospital
A patient’s stay is often made easier if a carer helps to plan the stay or supports them at certain times e.g. at mealtimes or stressful times such as before a procedure.
We want carers to feel welcome and we encourage you to continue with your caring tasks if you and the person you normally care for (the patient) wish this to be so. With this in mind, free meal vouchers are available on the wards for carers who are supporting a patient during their inpatient stay.
As the Raleigh Galley Restaurant and Aspretto Café are both currently closed to the public due to the Covid-19 pandemic, these vouchers can be used to access a hot meal from the ward meal trolley.
Please ask a member of the ward staff for further details.
Devon Carers
Devon Carers are available to provide support and advice to all carers. You can contact them on 03456 434 435 for access to the universal free services including carers’ newsletter, the Alert Care and local support groups. They are able to arrange a full assessment of your needs.
Advice and information can be accessed via their website here.
John's Campaign
John’s campaign supports the right of carers and family to stay with patients with dementia in hospital.
It was founded after the death of Dr John Gerrard in November 2014, by his daughter Nicci. She believes her father, who had Alzheimer’s, would have benefited greatly if she had been able to stay with him during his time in hospital.
Nicci now campaigns for the rights of carers of patients with dementia and similar conditions to stay with their loved ones, and be involved with their care if they would like to be.
For more information on John’s Campaign please click here.